James Jones: We have to make some throws

Packers wide receiver James Jones sees the same thing that pretty much everyone else sees when they look at the Packers offense at the moment.

They need to make more plays through the air, preferably down the field, and they need to start doing it right away if they are going to make the playoffs.

“We have to make some throws,” Jones said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Everybody knows it. It’s going to be cold. They’re going to stack the box to try to stop James [Starks] and [Eddie] Lacy. We have to make some throws and we have to make some catches. It will get done.”

With Aaron Rodgers looking set for another Sunday on the sideline, the task of getting the ball down the field will fall to Matt Flynn. The Packers believe a full week of practice with the first team will lead to a better outing for Flynn than he managed on Thanksgiving.

Jones said he believes Flynn has the arm to make the necessary throws and that he’s spent the week getting timing down with the receivers, which leaves only actually getting the job done left on Flynn’s current to-do list. We’ll find out Sunday if he can check that box as well.

Ya and you need to get some separation. The last two games the safeties were in your pants they were that close. The idea is your supposed to run away from them and catch the ball not have them on your back knocking the ball down.
Just how many steps did you lose this year? You so called break away speed kind of broke away all right.

richcranium2112 says:Dec 6, 2013 11:29 AM

Anyone remember when the Packers lived and died with the screen pass and quick outs to put the defense on their heels? I don’t think I’ve seen a screen pass in 2013 – yet.

West coast offense used these to set up run and downfield throws when the D started cheating.

When Aaron is in the game, they like to force the ball deep into coverage. When Aaron’s not in the game, defenses stack the box with 8 or 9 guys. Then Mike likes to run the ball into the line and call short yardage passes of 1-3 yards that are so predictable that defenses are predicting them in the huddle before they even line up.

To wit: Jason Pierre-Paul’s pick six against Scott Tolzien. Tolzien can play, but Mike isn’t doing him any favors with that BS.

So McCarthy likes to run what I call “Polish Football.” Coverage is deep? Throw deep. Coverage is stacking the box? Run and throw short. Quarless was wide open deep a number of times against the Loins, but Flynn never even saw him.

That said, I’m far more worried about the defense.

footballschoolnot says:Dec 6, 2013 11:52 AM

Jones led the NFL in touchdowns last year with db’s in his pocket. Flynn just needs to get it close.

Viking fans really don’t understand football. Jones has never been a “break away speed” guy, and ran a 4.54 at the combine.

I think the despair and loneliness from again being in the cellar of the division has taken its toll.
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Actually, we’re doing just fine. Our team is getting better while your team is getting worse. We’re looking forward to the return of Aaron Rodgers and hoping he can lead you to a bunch of meaningless victories so you don’t get a high draft pick. Not that Ted Thompson would know what to do with it anyway.

@richcranium2112. I hear this all the time from packer fans. You can’t effectively run slants and screens vs. a cover 2 set. Screens work vs. blitz and man packages. Cover 2 is all teams play when Rodgers is at Quarterback. That’s why you see Lacy’s numbers plummet when Rodgers is out, no more cover 2, they’re playing single high safety with 8 in the box.

We have seen more slants and screens with the backups, they just can’t execute them. Bottom line, that packers are a bad team without Rodgers, above average with him. Sadly, Falcons will crush them this weekend.

@The Great Ted Thompson the Genius, are you serious? Picking on Ted Thompson when you have Speilman? How are those 3 #1 picks working for you? Patterson looks to be good, but it took 4 picks to get him. If you want to rip the packers don’t use GMs to do so, you make yourself sound stupid. In fact, don’t choose football at all, the vikings franchise is probably the worst 2 or 3 in the NFL. Possibly better than Jax.

esotericmindguy says:
Dec 6, 2013 12:11 PM
@The Great Ted Thompson the Genius, are you serious? Picking on Ted Thompson when you have Speilman? How are those 3 #1 picks working for you?
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Patterson leads the NFL in kickoffs, and had a great run last week for a TD. He is just starting to get comfortable in the offense, and is looking like he will be a playmaker at WR for years to come.

Rhodes took some lumps early, as most rookie corners do, but played a very nice game last week in the victory, and is looking to be the best corner on this team.

The jury is still out on Floyd. I believe he has been injured this year. But he will definitely be with the team for a few years.

So, there’s your update. I’d say the draft picks will be working out just fine. How is your back-up QB situation working out for you? 2nd worst record in the NFL without your savior. You thought you found a running game this year, but it turns out teams were just defending the pass the whole time.

It’s a lot of fun reading Packer fans come after the Vikings after their team has gone 0-4-1 in the past 5 games. Since both teams aren’t making the playoffs this year, none of that really matters. All that matters is knowing that without one single guy the Packers can’t win a single game. So, I’d say the Packers have a lot further to go towards respectability than the Vikings do.

Even with Rodgers, it didn’t seem the Packers were going to do much (see playoffs: 2012). It’s ok though. You guys had your one year with Rodgers. I’d be happy if I was you. But then again, if I lived in GB, I guess I wouldn’t.

this team cannot win without Rodgers. against anyone. they managed to tie the hapless Vikes. They will win just enough games to miss out on a top pick but not enough to make the playoffs as I stated since Aaron went down. Maybe next draft more than half the players will make the squad. Its really sad to see the Packers not being relevant. This is a great franchise with a great history. This team would make Lombardi cry.

The WR’s are about the only guys that have made plays in this horrible 5 game stretch.

They have caught a number of very high degree of difficulty balls for big gains. The only issue is that none of them have been for TD’s. So they pick up 30, 40, 50 yards to get in the redzone and then the offense fails from there.

Red Zone offense was even an issue the year the Packers won the Superbowl. They were sneaking Rodgers, having him run QB draws out of 5 wide, and even tried a fake sneak and throw.

As for success going downfield, they need to start blocking on their rollouts. They’ve tried about a dozen since Rodgers went out, and they’ve pretty much all failed due to bad blocking.

Actually, we’re doing just fine. Our team is getting better while your team is getting worse
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How so… even Adrian Peterson is having thoughts bounce around his head going else where.

That seems like it will force the Vikings to get another “band aid” QB maybe Roethlisberger or Cutler, in hopes that Peterson doesn’t ask for a trade in 2 seasons… because its quite apparent the Vikings can’t develop QB talent in house.

If your most talented offensive weapon gets traded… then what do you do? Hope you guys get something more than Troy Williamson and Erasmus James?